


Before the Edgelord  - Snippets of Gabriel Reyes

by Heosic24



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 12:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7314571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heosic24/pseuds/Heosic24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As much as I love the Edgelord memes, I wanted to delve a little deeper into Gabriel Reyes before Reaper. Little snippets of bonding with his command, the betrayal he felt at Morrison's promotion, and whatever else comes to mind. There will definitely be mentions of John "Jack" Morrison/Gabriel Reyes later on in these snippets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Owls

**Author's Note:**

> I can't write long form fic to save my life, so excuse the choppiness.

Gabriel Reyes didn’t think of himself as the superstitious type -at least not on the job- but the soft hoot of an owl that echoed mournfully through the night made his skin crawl. Jose "Husi" Pedro raised his head to listen, and of all fucking things a soft smile appeared on his face. What the hell? 

“Owls make you that happy? The hell your family from, Pedro?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. To Reyes owls meant death, and the last thing you wanted to hear on a fucking assignment was death cooing softly into the air. 

Pedro blinked at him, taken aback. “I’m from Los Angeles, but my grandparents were from the Rez in Arizona. What about you, Reyes? What’d owls ever do to you?” 

The Rez? That could explain a lot, actually. Why he pronounced “Jose” more like “Husi”, and why his last name was Pedro. 

“You’re native? Well for Mexicans, owls are bad fucking news. Death, you know? Muerte. So excuse me that’s the last thing I want to fucking hear when we’re in a warzone.” 

Pedro nodded, looking thoughtful. “My mother used to say that owls could be the spirits of the dead. Not… bringers of death, like you think. So when I hear them I hope it’s my grandma, or even an older ancestor, watching over me.” His shoulders relaxed when the owl hooted again, while Reyes tensed up. “Guess we’ll just hope these are O’odham owls and not Mexican owls” 

“Ooo what?” 

“O’odham. Tohono O’odham, my tribe.” Pedro went quiet again, and to be fair that was the most Reyes had ever heard him speak in one conversation. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I hope they’re To-whatever owls too” 

“Yeah, better than your “mu-ear-tea” owls” 

That little fucker. Pedro couldn’t speak much Spanish as far as Reyes could tell, but he definitely knew how to pronounce it. His glare was met with a tiny grin before Reyes grunted and stood up to patrol. Toho… something. He’d try and look it up later.


	2. Last Good Deed of a Bitter Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even before Reaper Gabriel Reyes wasn't a good man, but even bad men do good deeds.

Tobias Zheng was young, fresh faced, and a pain in Reyes’ ass. The man chattered incessantly on and off the battlefield and got twitchy anytime there was a dull moment. If it wasn’t for his stunning ability to kill things and uncanny knack of surviving even the most harrowing missions, Reyes would have kicked him out of Blackwatch his first week in. Pedro noticed, of course, and hurried to take the promising new recruit under his wing. 

In his better moments, Reyes appreciated Jose “Husi” Pedro’s unwavering loyalty. He’d even gone so far as to transfer from Overwatch to Blackwatch with Reyes following Morrison’s promotion, along with several others in Reyes’ former Overwatch command. Pedro was loyal, but Reyes could already tell he didn’t quite have the ruthlessness of spirit to survive Blackwatch long-term. Reyes might be bitter and disillusioned with the world at large, but Husi was a friend, a good one. When he reached his breaking point, Reyes would make him retire. Knowing what was to come, he owed his friend at least that much. 

If there was one redeeming quality of Zheng, it was that he had good taste in men. A few months under Pedro’s guidance and Reyes would catch Zheng looking at the other man like he could hang the moon. Irritating in its own way, but if Zheng could get Husi to settle, well… that’d fit into Reyes plans just fine. It’d soothe the way, later on. Just needed to make some adjustments. 

The last time Gabriel Reyes truly enjoyed himself before his life went up in literal flames was Zheng and Husi’s wedding reception. Food was abundant, alcohol flowed freely, and for what felt like the first time in years Gabriel let himself relax. Husi pushed chili spicy enough to burn his mouth with his peoples peculiar large, flat tortillas on the side into his hands before whisking away to greet relatives on both sides. Zheng slapped him on the back, face flushed red all the way to his ears with drink, and handed him an entire bottle of Don Julio Anejo tequila. 

“To your health, Reyes! And to getting that dour expression off your face for once. Thanks for coming, Husi’s over the moon about it. Hold down the fort till we get back, yeah?” 

They were both taking a month of leave to visit Zheng’s family in Brazil before resuming duty. Reyes actually grinned, resisting the urge to laugh hysterically. If they were smart, they’d stay in Brazil until everything blew over. 

“Yeah, yeah. Be good to him or I’ll take the time off to kick your ass myself, Zheng.” 

“Pretty sure he’d be rolling my ass into the river himself before your plane could even touch down if I did him dirty, but whatever you say Reyes.”

The next day, the happy couple boarded a flight to Brazil while Reyes boarded one for Switzerland. 

It was the least he could do for them.


End file.
